Thailand’s mobile operator AIS plans to invest USD 43.35 million in Lao Telecom, one of Laos’ leading telecom providers, through a deal that would give it an indirect 24.01 percent stake in the company.
AIS plans to make the investment through its subsidiary, AIS Inter Venture, which will buy 49 percent of Shenington Investments, a Singapore-based company that owns 49 percent of Lao Telecom.
This would give AIS an indirect 24.01 percent stake in the Lao operator, while the Lao Government would continue to own 51 percent directly.
AIS announced the plan on 21 October, after its board approved the deal a day earlier. The companies have not yet signed the final agreement and expect to complete the transaction by the end of 2026.
Gulf Space Technology, a Thai satellite and telecommunications company, will keep the remaining 51 percent of Shenington Investments. This gives it an indirect 24.99 percent stake in Lao Telecom.
Founded in 1996, Lao Telecom provides mobile phone and internet services across the country. It reported more than 3.1 million mobile and fixed broadband customers in early 2026.
The company competes with Unitel, which is backed by Vietnam’s Viettel, as well as ETL and TPlus.
The deal comes as internet access continues to spread across Laos.
The country’s 2025 Population and Housing Census found that 69.8 percent of residents aged 15 and older had internet access. Laos had a resident population of 7.24 million, according to the census.
